1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a light scanning module and an image forming apparatus having the same, and more particularly, to a light scanning unit having an improved configuration to clean a light scanning window thereof and an image forming apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional image forming apparatus prints an image on a printing medium corresponding to a printing signal applied from a host apparatus. The image forming apparatus is provided as a printer which prints the image data on the printing medium to be visible, a facsimile which transmits the image data to an external apparatus, a photocopier which copies the image data on plural printing media, and a multifunctional printer which includes the above-described functions.
The conventional image forming apparatus generally comprises a feeding part which stores a printing medium, an image forming part which forms an image on a printing medium fed from the feeding part, and a discharging part which discharges the printing medium on which the image is formed to the outside. Here, the image forming part comprises a developing unit having a photosensitive body which spreads developer onto the printing medium, and a light scanning unit which scans a beam onto the photosensitive body to form an electrostatic latent image thereon. The light scanning unit comprises a light source which generates light, a casing which accommodates the light source, and a light scanning window which is provided in the casing for the beam to penetrate to the photosensitive body.
Here, the image forming apparatus may experience a situation where the developer separated from the photosensitive body is not spread onto the printing medium to be scattered in the inside of the main body while forming the image on the printing medium. If the developer scattered inside the main body, dust of the printing medium, and other foreign substances are adhered to the light scanning window of the light scanning unit, an optical route is interfered, to thereby depreciate a printing quality. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus is required to clean the foreign substance spread on the light scanning window.
In Japanese First Patent Publication 2005-329622, is disclosed a configuration to clean the foreign substance of the light scanning window. As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the configuration to clean the conventional light scanning window disclosed in the publication comprises a cleaning shutter 30 which is provided on an upper side of the light scanning unit casing 20 and moves between a closing position for closing the light scanning window 21 and an opening position for opening the light scanning window 21 to clean a light scanning window 21 according to a driving of a driving part (not illustrated). Also, the cleaning shutter 30 comprises a cleaning member 33 which moves and contacts with the light scanning window 21 to clean the light scanning window 21. The cleaning member 33 may be disposed within a cleaning member holding part 31.
However, the conventional cleaning shutter 30 has a problem that a large frictional force between the light scanning window 21 and the cleaning member 33 resists the driving force of the driving part (not illustrated) to slow down a returning speed of the cleaning shutter 30 if the cleaning shutter 30 moves from the opening position to the closing position when a frictional force generated by contact between the cleaning member 33 and the light scanning window 21 is provided to be large so as to improve a cleaning efficiency.
Furthermore, a cleaning efficiency problem occurs when reducing the frictional force between the light scanning window 21 and the cleaning member 33, during the time when the cleaning shutter 30 moves from the closing position to the opening position to solve the above problem.